A tumor is an autonomous new growth of tissue of an unknown single, specific cause. Tumors possess the structure of the body tissue or organ in which they originate, exhibit unlimited and uncontrolled power of growth and have the ability and tendency to spread and metastasize to distant locations where they may lodge and assume a renewal of growth. Tumor cells grow by multiplication of the individual's own tissue cells, are endowed with tremendous growth energy and largy lack the growth restraint which characterizes normal healthy tissue.
The invention disclosed and claimed herein pertains generally to a method for inhibiting the growth of tumorous tissues in mammals, such as humans, by the application of ultrasonic vibration and negative ion inhalation. Various methods of disintegration or destruction of tumor cells are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,301 discloses a method and apparatus for a non-invasive high energy low frequency wave for destroying tumors through local heating. Other examples of tissue disintegration by thermal heating are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,559; 3,237,623 and 3,117,571.
Other known ultrasonic techniques in which the probe is surgically inserted into the patient are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,136,700; 4,063,557; 3,896,811; 3,823,717; 3,805,787; 3,585,363; 3,565,062 and 3,352,303.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,514 discloses a method for the destruction of abnormal cells based on the difference of structure between normal tissue cells and abnormal cells and the different frequencies thereof.
At present, various techniques are available for ionizing air for reasons of dust removal and possible biophysiological effects such as the improvement of pyschomotor performance and response. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,534,530; 3,483,672 and 3,311,108 typically disclose devices for producing and controlling electric fields by sealing-mounted or self-contained electrode arrangements.